


Help Me Help You

by orphan_account



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Kid Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-01
Updated: 2014-06-01
Packaged: 2018-02-03 00:41:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1724867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Liam's sister and her husband die in a car accident, he is left the legal guardian of three young kids. Louis is there like Louis always is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Help Me Help You

**Author's Note:**

> I'm no longer in the 1d fandom but I have a lot of fics on my laptop that I've spent writing and I feel like it's a waste of my time to delete them. However, I have no intention of finishing them, sorry.

Liam's never really understood it, the whole setteling down, having a family. His mum alway used to tell him it's his job that gets in the way, that he's having a relationship with his work rather than a person. Liam disagrees, he's just never fancied himself as a man who works 9 til 5 and comes home to a wife, and a whole bunch of kids.

His sisters however, they were always the setteling down type. Always dressing him up when they were younger, making him pretend to be their baby. He'd hate them if he didn't love them so much.

Nicola's the oldest, she lives in Australia with her beautiful Aussy husband and their gorgeous twin girls. Liam sees her twice a year, if he's lucky and if he actually goes home for the Christmas holidays.

Then there's Ruth, she's the most protective over him, always has been. She lives in Wolverhamton, in the house they grew up in. There parents had left it to three of them in their will but it made sense for Ruth to get it, she was in love with the old place. She's married to her 'highschool sweetheart' and has three beautiful kids.

 Liam see's her more often than Nicola, mostly because she lives on the same continent.  It's easier for her to phone him up and bug him until he drives the two hours to see her. Which is exactly what she did on friday, not leaving him alone until he promised to come home for her second youngests third birthday.

Of course he dragged Louis along with him, like he alway does. Louis is his roommate, even though it's not necessary anymore. It hasn't been necessary since they both left universty and got jobs that paid enough to rent more than one apartment. Even though Liam would never admit it, he's quite fond of coming home to Louis snoring on the couch, some football game on the TV, volume on the lowest it could go without muting.  
  
"I like it when you're home." Ruth admits, poking a number three candle in to a car shaped cake. "The kids love you and of course they adore Louis."  
  
"Everyone adores Louis." Liam informs her, watching Louis play tag with the kids in the garden.  
  
Ruth frowns at him as she licks icing off her finger. "You know what I mean, Liam."  
  
"I love the kids, Roo. You know I do." Liam sighs. "My job is just--"  
  
"Demanding." Louis says, appearing at the patio door. "Is he giving you the same old speach?"

"I just want him to come home more often." Ruth moves across the kitchen towards Louis, pecking his cheek. "Could you grab the cake, i'm gonna get Ian to round the kids up for Happy Birthday."

Liam drops himself on one of the bar stools as Ruth disapears out of view in to the garden. "Why do I bother coming home at all?"

"Because you love your family." Louis reminds him, poking at his ribs. "Don't pretend you don't love it when she gets all frowny and worried about you."

"I do not, it's annoying." Liam bows his head.

"Keep telling yourself that, Payne." Louis picks up the cake. "I've seen you with those kids, you love spending time with them just as much as they do you."

Then he disapears out to the garden and Liam hears a few kids squeel followed by the annual birthday song. He's about follow the noise out to the garden when a high pitched cry catches him off guard.

"Liam could you get her!" Ruth calls from somewhere in the garden.

Liam frowns, to himself but heads back towards the house and follows the cry until he finds himself in the guest room. The youngest of ruth's kids is stood up, using the bar of her travel cot for support. There are tears stains on her chubby cheeks and her watery blue eyes are staring at him, like she can't decide if she should scream some more or smile.

She does the latter, wobbling on her little chubby legs as she reaches out for Liam. Thankfully Liam is a lot better at holding babies since the first of Ruth's kids was born. He still remembers almost dropping Finley the first time he held him, a moment that Louis or Ruth have never let him live down. That was six years ago, now with two more kids from ruth, the twins from Nicola and a few holds of Louis' younger siblings, he's sort of a pro.

"Hi." He says, lifting Beth from her cot.

The ten month old pats his cheeks, then giggles like it's the most halirous thing she'd seen all year.

"Okay then." He comments, resting her on his hip as he heads out of the garden.

Louis has Finley on his shoulders and he's dancing around  as the birthday song comes to an end. Liam comes to stand with the small crowd, pawning Beth off to her father, who instantly smiles the moment she's in his arms.

"Happy birthday Joseph!" Louis yells, causing Finley to laugh loudly.

The crowd all cheer as Joseph blows out his candles and Liam claps his hands, watching how bright his sister smiles when Joseph turns to put icing on her cheek.

"Your fondness is showing." Louis says, suddenly appearing beside him.

"It makes her happy." Liam shrugs. "It doesn't matter if I don't understand it."

Louis nudges him with his hip. "You will one day, Liam Payne. One day you'll find that person and you'll have the family with them that you've always never wanted."

"Have I told you lately that you make no sense to me?"  
  
Louis shrugs, causing Finley to giggle. "It's nice to be reminded."

Liam laughs and watches Louis run off, with Finley still on his shoulders. He finds a small secluded part of the garden, trying to desecreatly check in with Zayn to see how their newest print is selling.

It doesn't take long for Ruth to hunt him down, with a piece of cake on a plate for him and Beth resting on his hip.

"Don't tell me you're checking in with the office.." She scolds and then with a tone that sounds to much like their mothers. "Liam James Payne."

Liam frowns, acceping the cake she offers. "Sorry, there was a print going out this week, for an important client. I had to check, just to make sure.."  
  
"The place isn't going to fall apart without you." Ruth tells him. "Zayn can handle it for a few days, spend some time with your family."

She drops Beth on to his lap then, informing the child that she has to bug her uncle until he stops calling the office. Obviously the words make sense to Beth, since she can't even form a sentence yet. But she grips to Liam's shirt and pulls herself to a standing position on his thighs. Then wobbles, which means Liam has to put both the cake and the phone in his hand down on the seat beside him, in order to keep her up.

"If I see you with the phone again, then i'll be very upset." Ruth tells him.

It's a tactic Liam knows for a fact she learned from their mum, it's the guilt trip tactic. There's no threat behind the words but they leave you with the thought of hurting them, which is a threat in itself.

"I won't." Liam promises, then makes a funny face at Beth until she giggles.

\---

He's in a meeting when it happens, which is why he ignores the ten phone calls from the hospital and fifty text and phones calls from Louis. When he finally gets out, his assistant Harry is pale faced and handing the phone on his desk to him.

"Who is it?" He asks.

Harry doesn't answer, just holds the phone out more forcefully and now Liam can see the tears threatening his eyes.

"Harry, what's going on?" He asks as he takes the phone. "Hello?"  
  
"L-Liam?" A cracked voice replies.

"Lou?" Liam's worried now, it's not often that Louis and Harry's phone calls end in tears, unless they're tears of laughter.

"Why the fuck aren't you answering your phone?" Louis scolds, his voice rough the way tells Liam that Louis has definietly been crying.

"I was in a meeting." Liam frowns and glances at Harry, who bows his head. "What's going on?"

"You really should have answered your phone." Louis replies. "It's Ruth....and Ian."

"What?" Liam's chest starts to hurt as the panic builds. "What happened? Are they okay?"

"There was an accident..." Louis starts and the rest is a blur.

\----

Louis demands to drive him to Wolverhamton but Liam doesn't think either of them are in a state to drive so he has Harry drive them. Zayn tags along too because he's known Liam since they were kids, and they're families are really close. Liam's not in the right state of mind to tell him to stay and take care of the company.

The car ride feels longer thant it normally does but that's because normally he's going to see his family, not going to the funeral of his dead sister and her husband.

When they finally arrive at the house, he can barley stomach walking up the path to the knock on the door, to not have Ruth be on the other side. What makes it worse, the person that answers, he's never seen before in his life.

"You must be Liam." The woman smiles sadly. "I'm Anna, a friend of your sisters."  
  
The word has his him stumbling backwards but there's a hand on his lower back, keeping him upright. Louis crowds in to his space, something Liam usually hates. But now it's like his anchor, his Louis keeping him on the ground when all he wants do to is fly far away from here.

"Come in." Anna says, opening the door wider to allow the four of them inside.

The house isn't crowed with people like Liam expected it to be. It's empty, the only sound echoing throughout is the noise of the television coming from the living room. Liam doesn't wait for Anna's permission, he follows the noise until he finds what he wants.

Finley is on the couch, his sad eyes glue to the TV, of course he's the only one of the kids that has any clue what's going on. Joseph is curled up to his side, little head resting on his brothers shoulder. There's a man on the other end of the couch, with Beth resting on his lap with her bottle in her mouth. She's fast asleep and Liam wishes he could join her, wishes he could be that clueless to what's going on.

The room is to quiet, the house itself is to quiet. It reminds him of his parents funeral, how the house was crowded with people but all he could hear was their missing presence.

"Louis!" Finley shouts, making Liam jump.

The six year old is up off the couch and across the room in seconds. Louis collects him in his arms easily, the pair clutching to each other like the last two survivors on a sinking ship.

Liam keeps his eyes on Joseph, who is now looking his direction curiously. "Uncle Li?"

The voice is so soft, it makes Liam's heart ache harder than it already was. He thought he was hurting, he thought he was going to miss her voice, her laugh, her beautiful soul. These kids had lost a mother, and a father. They'd lost the only two people who were meant to always be there for them, to take care of them. Liam could say he understands but he was an adult when his parents died, he had his childhood in the perfect picket fence upbringing. These kids, who do they have now?

"Uncle Li." Joseph repeats, holding his hands out this time.

Liam moves faster than he ever thought he could, collecting the little boy in his arms. There's a sniffle against the collar of his shirt and that breaks him, for the first time since he heard the news, he finally lets the tears fall.

\---

The next day the house is crowded with people, a few Liam knows as Roo's friends growing up and some family members. The rest are just a blur of unknown faces and forgotten introductions. He's to busy trying to help Anna feed the guests and make sure all the funeral plans are taken care of, that he barley notices the kids all day.

Until it's time to head to the church and Anna's handing Beth over to him to take in the funeral car. Finley is yet to let go of Louis and so he tags along to. It's just them and the kids in the car, as Ian was an only child and his parents had died long ago, the same with Liam's parents. Nicola is on a flight back from Australia but she told Liam to go ahead with the funeral without her.

The thing about Ruth was she always had everything planned, even something as morbid as this. Everything was already set for both funerals, all the guests had to do was turn up.

Beth cries from the moment they're in the car, to the moment they arrive at the church. Liam thinks she knows and that thought breaks every fibre of his beeing. He tries to soothe her as best as he can but he can barley help when he doesn't know why she's crying, it's worse when he does know but can't do anything about it.

"Uncle Li?" Joseph tugs on Liam's jacket as they stand at the front of the church.

"Yeah?" Liam looks down at him, still bouncing Beth on his hip.

Joseph's teeth dig in to his bottom lip and he tugs at the bottom of his own jacket. "Is Mummy in heaven?"

"Yeah." Liam chockes out. "Yeah, bud. She is."

Joseph nods as if to accept the words and slips his tiny hand in to Liam's. A larger hand becomes present on Liam's shoulder and Liam turns his head to see Zayn. The other lad nods, squeezes once and steps back to stand beside Harry.

"Shhh.." Liam hushes Beth when she fusses as the Pastor begins to talk.

Liam hates funerals, not that anyone reall enjoys them. He used to hate them because he found them boring. When his mum dragged him to his bamps when he was eight, all he did was sit they're an nit pick at every single thing he knew his bamp would have hated. This one was different, everything was the way Ruth wanted it. Liam hated this one because it only reminded him of the sister he lost and the three kids who were never going to see their mum again.

Joseph doesn't let go of his hand the entire time and Beth eventually cries herself to sleep. Liam can hear whispers from his left side, some from Finley but mostly from Louis. Finley's still wrapped around Louis like a belt and Liam hasn't got the heart to tell him he's to be old to be carried around like that anymore. As long as Louis doesn't mind, he'd rather leave them to it.

As the coffin is carried out by a group of Ruth's old school friends, he feels a fresh coat of tears trail down his cheeks. Joseph is sniffling from beside him. He bends down as the crowds begin to file out and tries to balance Beth on his hip as he wipes at Joseph's eyes.

"We're going to go outside and say goodbye to mummy now, okay?" He brushes his thumb across the little boys cheek. "Then she'll be with the angels, watching over us."

Joseph nods as if he understands and lifts his own little hand up to wipe at Liam's cheeks. Liam bites back more tears and stands up straight, taking Joseph's hand back in his own.

Louis puts a free hand on Liam's lower back as they walk out and Liam glances over to find his best friends face completly distraught. He looks away quickly because if there's one thing he can't ever stand to see, is the brightness taken from Louis' blue eyes.

They keep to the back of the crowd as they all head up the path behind the church to the graveyard. But as they reach the burrial point, the crowd parts to allow them to the front. Liam tightens his grip on Joseph's hand as they watch the coffin be lowered in to the ground. He thinks this is far to morbid for even him to handle, let alone kids that barley understand what's going on.

They each say a few words, throw some dirt in to the hole. Joseph is cying his eyes out by the end and Anna's husband picks him up, lets the little boy sob in to his chest. Liam's glad Beth has stayed asleep the entire time, he doesn't think he could handle her crying through this. Finley hasn't even lifted his head from where it's burried in Louis' neck.

The worst thing about it is that when it's over all Liam can think is, one down one to go.

\---

They barley make it through Ian's funeral. Beth cries so much during the service that she's sick and Anna has to take her outside to clean her up. Joseph sits in Liam's lap and keeps sniffeling in to the skin of Liam's neck every time his dad's name is mentioned. Finley refuses to even enter the church for a second time so Louis has to sit outside with him until it's over.

Liam's slightly glad when the service is over. He's also glad that Ian wanted to be creameted but didn't want the kids to go to the cremotorium. He and Louis are the ones who offer to take the kids home, letting Anna and her husband, both friends of Ian, attend the cremation.

The house is set up for the wake and Liam really wants to be anywhere but there. He doesn't want to socialise with people, exchange stories about his sister and her husband. All he wants to do is go back to his aparement in Lodon and pretend that his sister is still here, playing happy families, waiting for the next celebration to bug him to attend.

Joseph attatches himself to Liam the moment they step inside the house. Everywhere Liam walks, even when he heads upstairs to put Beth down, there's Joseph only two steps behind.

"Uncle Li?" He asks, as Liam closes the door to Beth's room gently.

"Yeah, bud?"

Joseph just lifts his hands in the air and waits until Liam picks him up, to cuddle his face in to Liam's neck. "Please don't leave like Mummy and Daddy."

Liam holds him that little bit tighter as heads down the stairs, to find Louis and Finley curled up on the couch. "Can we join?"  
  
Louis nods, offering his free arm out to Liam. Liam curls in to the small space like it second nature, which it is, thanks to their first crappy apartment that had no heating.

"I bet she's happy, first time i'm at a loss for words." Louis says, resting his chin on top of Liam's.

Liam poistions Joseph on his lap so he's more comfortable. "She always wanted me down here for more than one day, didn't think she'd take it this far."

Louis snorts. "If I didn't love her so much i'd hate her."

"That's what I always used to say." Liam cracks as more tears build, fleeing from his eyes and dripping off his nose.

Louis hushes him and Liam feels Joseph's breath going soft against his shoulder. It's then he becomes aware of his own exaustions of the days events taking over, the warmth of Louis and the boys around him, helping him in to a dreamless sleep.

\---

The next few days are full of people Liam's never spoken to, turning up the house, offering their condolences and food, lots of food. It's also full of takeaway pizza and getting to know Anna and Neil (Anna's husband). Nicola also arrives, with her husband and twin daughters. Who are a great distraction for Joseph but get upset when Finley wants nothing to do with them.

The lawyer turns up on the third day, just as Zayn and Harry are heading back to London. Zayn offered to stay but Louis overrules him, demanding he go back to London so Liam doesn't have to deal with a broken buisness, as well as all of this.

Nicola, Anna and Liam all sit down with the lawyer who read them the terms of Ian and Ruth's will. There's savings that the kids will get when they turn eighteen, there's certain possesions that need to be given to certain people, the house was still in Liam's and Nicolas name so that wouldn't change.

"I'm sure Ruth and Ian talked to you about who would get custody of the kids in the unlikely event that they both should die." The lawyer states.

"Well I assumed me and Neil would, been as we're their closest friends." Anna replies.

Liam looks to Nicola, who shrugs in response.

"They hadn't talked to you?" The lawyer asks and he's looking directly at Liam.

"I assumed Nicola would get them." Liam shrugs.  
  
"They've...uh.." The lawyer pushes a piece of paper towards him. "They've actually appointed you as legal guardian."

"The self-appointed batchelor." Anna scoffs. "They choose him to take care of their kids?"

Liam would be offended if what she was saying wasn't true. He's married to his job, they all knew this. Ruth knew this, it's what she was always yelling at him about. _It's what she was always yelling at him about._

"Even after she's gone she finds a way to be annoying." Liam mutters under his breath, with a slight fondness to his tone.

"She was gonna make you have that family with the picket fence somehow." Nicola smirks at him.

Liam nudges her with his shoulder and looks back at the lawyer. "Are there any other terms?"

"No." The lawyer shakes his head. "Only if you give up your rights as guardian, the guardianship would fall to Anna Davies."

Anna sighs in releif. "There was some method to her madness."

"Can I have some time to think about it?" Liam asks.

The lawyer nods, and collects his papers. "You have my number, just calle me with your decition and i'll draw up the papers."

Liam reaches out his hand to shake with the man and then abandones the room on search of Louis. Who finds in the TV room, with Finley between his legs, attempting to get the youngster to play any xbox game.

"Lou." Liam hisses.

Louis glances at him and then down at Finley. "I'll be right back."

A small whine parts the little boys lips but he doesn't make an protest as Louis climbs from his position on the floor. Liam grabs him by the sleeve and drags him across the hall in to the study.

"What could have Ruth's will possibly said that got you so crazy eyed?" Louis frowns.

"She appointed me sole guardian."

Louis raises his eyebrows. "She was crazy, all the doctors were wrong." 

"What do I do, Lou?"

"You're considering it?"

Liam shrugs, leaning back against the desk. "I don't know, it's what she wanted. I mean Nicola lives in Australia and she's always traveling. I barley know this Anna woman..."

"Liam, think about this rationally." Louis says. "It's three kids, and they're not on loan, you can't give them back when you get bored."

There's a moment of silence in the room, a silence filled with Louis completly judging Liam.

"You're right." Liam agrees. "This is insane, I can't take care of three kids. I can barley take care of myself, what was I thinking."

"There's the Liam I know and love." Louis nods.

"What if I send them to live with this Anna and she's horrible." Liam says. "What if they hate me for the rest of my life because I was never there when they really needed me."   
  
"God, why do you have to have two sides." Louis groans. "Fine, take the damn kids but i'm not allowing you to do this by yourself."  
  
Liam leans forward to wrap his arms around Louis, burrying his face in to the other lads neck.

\---

"Why do babies have to have so much crap." Liam groans, hauling the tenth box with 'Beth's stuff' written on it, out to the van. "She's just one tiny human."

"Tiny human? Did you see the crap she did last night?" Louis asks. "I swear to god I think I lost a few senses changing that thing."

Liam laughs, handing him the box. "Thanks for doing that, again."

"Yeah, yeah. You've got the next one." Louis winks, piling the box on top of the others.

As Liam heads back in to the house, Harry heads out with Joseph on his back. "Joey wants to know if they're aloud to take their bikes?"

"There's a park a twenty minute walk away from our building, right?" Liam asks.

Harry shrugs. "I think so."  
  
"Sure, bring whatever you want." Liam nods. "We'll sort it out when we get there."

Zayn catches him when he makes it through the front door. "You're not actually thinking of raising these kids in your apartment?"

"Why not? Americans do it all the time, why can't I?"

Zayn gives him that knowing look, the one he's been giving Liam since before they could talk. It says _'I know what you're saying is dumb but i'm gonna let you figure it out on your own'_.  Liam squeezes his shoulder and gives him the best confident smile he can muster up.

There's still things yet to be packed, and things that Liam doesn't want to be touched at all. Like Ruth and Ian's bedroom, no one has been near it, since Liam almost bit Louis' head off when he attempted to go in and get the vase Nicola wanted.

Nicola headed back to Australia a week ago, with promise she'll come back to check on him and the kids when she can gets more time off work. Anna and her husband have been as helpful as they can, he doesn't think she's so bad afteral. She maybe doesn't like him so much for taking away the last pieces of her best friend she had left. But Liam doesn't care because if Ruth's first choice was ever Anna, then she would have said so.

The only things they've packed really are the kids bedrooms and other things the kids would need. Liam's decided to leave the house as it is, until he and Nicola decide what they want to do with it.

Nicola had mentioned selling the place but Liam's still got quite a bit attatchment to it. Even though he has no plans to live there himself, it's still their family home, the house they grew up in. _The house Ruth loved._

"Is that everything?" Louis asks, appearing where Liam stands in the hallway.

Liam nods, taking in the family photos that still grace the walls. His eyes catch a framed photo of himself, dressed in his cap and gown. Louis is to his left, his own cap forgone from his head and floating in the air, hand gestured up from where he'd thrown it. Ruth is to his right, a very young Finley resting on her hip, smiling like she's the proudest person in the world.

Liam remembers that day, remembers how Ruth and Ian had both taken a day off work just to watch him graduate. Liam's mum was to ill to travel and his dad didn't ever leave her bedside. Nicola had only just moved to Australia and didn't have the money to travel back just for one day. Ruth was there though, just like she always was. Just like she was when he sang in the talent show when he was tweleve. Just like she was when he went to get his A level results. Just like she was when he and Zayn first opened their company.

Ruth was the one who was always there and now she never will be.

Louis catches him when he stumbles backwards. The older lads arm wrap around him behind and Liam turns until he can burry himself in his friends warmth. _My anchor_ , he thinks.

"She's smiling down on you, you know." Louis tells him. "She's gonna be so happy you agreed to do this."

Liam sniffles, pulling back to wipe at his eyes with the back of his hand. "She'll be bloody smirking, like a bugger."

"You can do this." Louis says after a moment.

"Yeah." Liam agrees, even though he doesn't quite believe the words.

\---

Their apartment isn't small by any means but it also isn't child proof. It's a self made bachelor pad with sharp corners and easily accessiable plug holes for small fingers to be shoved in. Liam doesn't want to put Beth on the floor, in case she finds one of Louis' abandoned beer tops and chocks on it.

"We can't live here." Liam admits.

Finley, who hasn't spoken since before his mother's funeral, curls more in to Louis' side. Joseph however, tugs himself from Liam's firm grip and does a belly flop on the couch.

"Can we watch Shark Tale?" He grins.

Liam glances at Louis, who offers a warm smile. "It'll do for tonight, we'll sort something out tomorrow."

There's still a part of Liam that's telling him that this isn't going to work. That he should pack up all the kids stuff and send them back to Anna. Go back to the life he knows, the one with no kids to worry about, in the apartment he and Louis had dreamed about since they met in the first year of Uni.

"You can do this." Louis tells him, squeezing his arm before leading Finley across to the couch.

Beth wriggles in his grip, demanding to be put down but he's still catious of all the things she could get harmed by and keeps a tight grip on her.

"I'm gonna set up the cot in my room." Liam says, moving across the room, to place Beth on Louis' lap.

Louis gives him a knowing nod, tickeling Beth's stomach to distract her from wanting to crawl off his lap. Finley has the ipad and is flicking through netflix to find the film Joseph wants.

It takes Liam over an hour to collect Beth's cot from the car and figure out how to set it up in his room. The films most of the way through by the time he comes back to the living room. Beth is sat on Louis lap, playing with a toy. Joseph is sat right in front of the TV, very concentrated on the film and Finley is curled up against Louis' thigh, watching the film but not really paying any attention to it.

"Who wants pizza?" He asks.

Finley doesn't even lift his head in acknowledgement. Joseph does nod his head but doesn't take his eyes from where they're glued on the TV. Liam looks to Louis.

"Want me to order it?"

Liam shakes his head, trying to ignore the way his chest tightens when notices the way Louis reacts to Beth showing him the toy.

"Two should be enough, right?"

Louis nods and Liam can see the tiredness he feels reflecting off the other lads face. "What do we give Beth?"

"Anna packed us some food and gave me a list of things she liked." Liam shrugs. "I put her travel bag in the kitchen."

"I'll make her something..." Louis decided. "We should put her to bed soon."

Liam orders them two larges pizzas, a bottle of coke and some sides, in case either of the boys are picky eaters. Louis' in the kitchen feeding Beth while they wait for the order to arrive. While Liam attempts to get some response out of Finley, other than glancing at the kitchen every few seconds to see when Louis' coming back.  
\---  
  
Beth's sobbing her heart out and Liam doesn't know what to do. He's bathed her, fed her and even wrapped her up in the pink fluffy blanket Anna said she liked. Nothing is working, not even bouncing her the way Nicola taught him.

"I give up." Liam says when Louis comes in to the bedroom where he'd been for the past hour.  
  
"Hey, hey." Louis soothes, brushing his hand across Liam's back. "She's just tired, she wants sleep."

"She wants her mum, that's what she wants." Liam says, bouncing a little harder now just to try and keep his emotions in check.

Louis frowns and brushes a hand across Beth's head, kissing her little red face.

"I can't do this, Lou." He admits. "It's the first night and I can't even get her to go to sleep."

Louis hushes him, moving the hand on his back to his shoulder and tugging him closer. He puts his free hand on Liam's hip, just below where Beth is resting and forcefully stops him moving. Then he trails the hand on Liam's shoulder down his arm slowly until it rests on his other hip and gently begins to rock all three of them from side to side.

Beth goes quiet between them and after a few minutes Louis begins to hum under his breath.

"Swing low, sweet chariot, comin' for to carry me home." Liam sings along softly.

Louis grin is blinding and he moves his hands around to rest on Liam's lower back. "I think she's asleep.."

"I'm to scared to move." Liam admits.

Louis looks down between them and Liam moves his head slightly from where it's resting on to of Beth's. He tilts it slightly to the right to see her face and surely enough she's fast asleep.

"You don't want to put her in the cot, do you?" Louis asks.

"I'm not risking her waking up, even if it means I have to stand here all night."

Louis rolls his eyes and goes over to Liam's bed, pulling back the covers. "You're not standing there all night, you ridiculous person."

"Lou, if she wakes up.." Liam starts but cuts himself when Louis glares him down.

The older lad huffs as Liam slowly walks over to the bed, moving even slower as he sits down and then lays down on it. Beth wriggles a little and Liam waits with baited breath but she just repositions her head, to push her face against his neck and goes back to snoring softly.

"I'll get the boys to bed." Louis says in a quiet voice. "Honestly, you're such an ameture."

\---

Liam wakes up the next morning with a foot in his face. When he finally manages to blink open his eyes, he finds Louis' head right next to his on the pillow. When he looks down between theres Joseph lay starfish, with his foot (that was on Liam's face now resing on Liam's shoulder) and his other on Louis' chest.  Finley is curled up on Louis other side and Beth is somehow asleep on Liam's thighs, her little bum up in the air.

"Go back to sleep." Louis groans. "We're only gonna sleep when they do for the next eighteen years."

"You're sticking around for next eighteen years?" Liam asks, smiling despite himself.

"I've stuck around for the last eight." Louis replies, voice rough with  sleep. "You're not getting rid of me now."

"You're talking's waking me up." Joseph grumbles from between them.

"Well your foot in my face woke me up so.." Liam replies, reaching up to tickle the bottom of Joseph's foot.

Joseph giggles and kicks out, accidently catching Louis in the jaw. Louis makes a noise in protest when Liam snorts but that only makes Liam laugh louder, in the end all three of them are laughing and Beth sits up, looking at all of them unimpressed.

"Morning madam." Louis says, reaching out to pat down her blonde curls.

"No." She pouts, crossing her arms.

Liam laughs, sitting up and taking her with him. "I wonder who taught you that word."

"No." She repeats, reaching out to tug at Liam's hair.

"You don't want to go without breakfast do you?" Liam asks, scrunching up his nose at her.

Beth pursers her lip for a moment then hits her palms down on his chest. "No."

"Exactly." He smirks over his shoulder at Louis.

"Don't get to cocky, Payne." Louis warns, reaching down to tickle Joseph until giggles so loud it wakes up Finley who scowls at them all.

\---

Beth is getting grizzly now, no longer finding enjoyment in covering her uncle in pee. She starts kicking her legs as hard as she can and hiccups, which Liam has come to know as the noise she makes before she screams down the place.

"I can't do this, I can't.." Liam attempts to hold both Beth's legs and put the labels down on the nappy at the same time.

Louis appears in the doorway, smirking like the jerk he is. "Having trouble?"

"I can't even change a nappy." Liam sighs, letting go of Beth's legs and allowing her to do as she pleases.

Louis comes over and nudges Liam out of the way. "What's your uncle Li doing to you, 'ey babe? He's made a right mess hasn't he?"

Beth's lower lip sticks out as if to agree and Louis rubs a hand across her bare belly, talking to her in a calm soothing voice as he removes the nappy Liam had made a mess of. He reaches in to the box for another one, while making faces and talking in a quiet tone, that makes the baby smile in delight.

Liam watches in amazement as Louis takes barley two minutes to get Beth in to a new nappy and back in to her  tights and dress. Louis lifts her from the changing mat and on to his hip.

"Easy." He grins.

Liam shakes his head. "You're never allowed to leave, ever."

Louis laughs, handing Beth over to Liam. "I'm afraid we don't all have people doing our work for us."

"No." Beth shakes her head, tugging on the collar of Liam's shirt. "No, no, no."

"We're both in agreemant." Liam smiles at her. "Uncle Lou has to stay home and keep us company today."

"Sorry, bud." Louis taps Liam's shoulder and presses a kiss to Beth's cheek. "You've got to do some things on your own."

Liam almost wants to have one of Beth's tantrums to get Louis to stay. Instead he follows the other lad out in to the living room, trying to make Beth giggle as he goes.

"I've got to go to work now, boys." Louis informs the two sat on the couch. "Be good for your uncle Li, yeah?"

Finley's blue eyes look at Louis like he's just told him he was leaving forever, the betrayel cuts Liam deep, god only know what that look does to Louis.

"I'll be back in a few hours." Louis tells him.

Finley doesn't say anything, he does climb off the couch and run across the flat to Liam's bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

"He'll be fine." Liam tries to reasure both himself and Louis.

Louis humms some kind of agreemant and bends down to kiss Joseph's head. Then he comes back over to Liam and Beth, pressing yet another kiss to the youngsters cheek.

"Call me if you need me." He tells Liam. "There's a list of things you need to do on the kitchen table, if the kids give you time that is."

"Okay." Liam says and then he does something he'd never imagined he'd do, he leans in and brushes his lips across Louis'.

\--

"Okay, we're here." Liam says, pulling the car in to one of the empty spots.

There's a gurgle that comes from the back, that sounds very much like the one Beth makes right before she needs her nappy changing. It says a lot about his new life that he can now differentiate betwen gurgles. It also says a lot about his life now, that he's pleading with God to let Beth not scream the place down as he takes the boys inside.

Finley is easy to get settled in to his class, the teacher introduces him then offers him to get a book from the shelf so he can read quietly with the rest of the children. Finley doesn't even look in Liam's direction when he says goobye and Liam doesn't know if that's a good thing or not.

Joseph is a little harder to get settled, he clings to Liam's leg the moment they get inside the class. Liam's boucing Beth, who's getting quite fussy, then he doesn't blame her, he'd been upset to if he had wet nappy rubbing against his legs.

"It's drawing time." Miss Tyler, the teacher, explains. "Would you like to come and draw, Joseph?"

Joseph hides his head behind Liam's thigh and refuses to come out until the teacher has smiled gently at Liam and walked away.

"C'mon, bud." Liam coaxes. "You were excited about today. What's going on?"

Joseph pokes his head out to look at the class full of children. "S'lot."

"I know it's kind of scary." Liam tells him, he remembers his first day of comp, it was terrifying. "But i'm sure they're all lovely, why don't we go and sit at one of the tables?"

Joseph bites his lip as he looks up at Liam and Liam offers his hand, leading the little boy over to the closest table once.

"Hi guys." He says, then winces because he reminds himself of his own father, trying to act cool in front of Liam's friends and only embarassing Liam furthur.

He bends down to be the same height as the table, attempting to rest Beth on his thigh as he does. Joseph climbs in to one of the little chairs, with his hands folded in his lap. He reminds Liam a lot of himself at that age, shy, polite and a little impressionable.

"What's everyone drawing?"

A little girl, across from Joseph holds up her piece of paper. "Mine's a unicorn."

It doesn't look much like a unicorn, really it's just a blob of pinks and blues but Liam raises his eyebrows as if he's really impressed anyways. "That's awesome. Isn't it awesome, Joey?"

Joseph nods a little.

"How about we draw something just as good?" Liam asks, reaching for a piece of paper and some colours.

Joseph takes the pen from Liam's hand when he offers it. "What should I draw?"

"Anything you want, bud." Liam smiles, taking the marker from Beth when she goes to put it in her mouth.

Joseph bites his lower lip and begins to draw very slowly on the piece of paper, all his concentration on making the drawing perfect. Liam stands up, adjusting Beth to rest her on his hip comfortably. Then he heads over to Miss Tyler, glancing back to make sure Joseph isn't affected by him leaving.

"He'll be fine." Miss Tyler smiles. "The first is always the hardest, isn't it?"

Liam doesn't quite understand what she means but he nods anyway. "I'll pick him up at three?"

Miss Tyler nods and Liam takes one last look over at Joseph, who now has the little girl who had showed them her unicorn,  trying to help with his drawing. Beth starts to grizzle, letting Liam know it's time to leave.

"Lets get you changed, ey?" He says, getting a slobbery hand to the mouth in response.

\---

"I was thinking we could watch a film when i'm done with the washing up?" Liam asks, glancing over his shoulder.

Joey nods enthusiasticaly, spoon full of ice cream being pushed in to his mouth. Finely doesn't respond, just conitnues to look down it his ice cream bowl, yet to take a bite. Liam sighs, turning back to the dishes.

"Okay, Beth officialy hates me." Zayn complains, coming back in to the kitchen.

"Did she scream at you when you tried to change her nappy?" Liam asks, picking up the towel to dry the dishes on the drainer.

"She kicked me in the face." Zayn replies, causing a laugh to come from the two boys sat at the counter. "You think that's funny, huh?"

Liam looks over to see Finely actually smiling as Zayn tickles him where he's sat. He watches in amasement for a few minutes, until Finley catches him looking and frowns.

Joey pushes his empty bowl across the counter towards Liam. "Can we go find a film?"

"Sure buddy." Liam nods, eyes still on Finley.

Finley scowls but allows his brother to tug him off his stool and out of the room. Liam locks eyes with Zayn and frowns, the other boy shrugs his shoulders unhelpfully.

"He hates me." Liam admits, collecting the boys bowls from the counter and dumping them in the sink.

"He doesn't hate you." Zayn reasures, settling down on the stool Finley once occupied.

"He does, he fucking hates me." Liam rants, getting the empty pizza boxes off the counter.

Zayn sighs. "He's just greivng."

"He talks to everyone, except for me." Liam frowns, trying to push the empty pizza box in the bin. "It's like it's my fault his parents are gone and he's stuck with me to take care of him."

"He's six, Li." Zayn says. "He's six and everything he's know in life has been taken away from him, give him a break."

Liam maybe pushes down to hard on the pizza box causing the entire bin bag to explode all over the floor, he lets out a frustrated growl. "Why did she do this? Why did she choose me? There were so many better options."

"Because.." Louis starts, suddenly appearing like he always does. "No matter what you may choose to believe, there is no one on this planet left that loves these kids as much as you."

Liam drops himself on to the kitchen floor, rubbish surrounding him. "Just because I love them doesn't mean I can raise them."

"I'm gonna go for a cigarette." Zayn says and then disapears through the small window on to the fire escape.

Louis comes over to where Liam is sat in his own pathetic state on the floor and settles himself down on the lads thighs. "Do you remember the first time you held Finley?"  
  
"I almost dropped him." Liam bowes his head. "I've been a shit uncle since the beginning."

Louis hooks a finger under his chin and lifts it until Liam looks at him. "Do you remember how apologetic you were? How long it took you to ever trust yourself to hold him again. You were so bloody cautious with him after that, every time we went down to visit, you'd always make sure you were careful with him. I remember Roo telling me, that if she was to ever trust Finley to someone, it would be you."

Liam looks anywhere but Louis' knowing blue eyes.

"You're still cautious with him, you still treat him like that week old baby you almost dropped." Louis informs him. "Beth doesn't have a clue what's going on but you still talk to her about Roo and Ian. I've even heard you talk to Joseph about how Ian used to teach him to draw. But not once have you spoken to that little boy and he's in the most pain because he's the one that actually understands. All he wants is his uncle Li to tell him everythings going to be okay."


End file.
